Differences
by bostonhomo-cide
Summary: Alison and Beth meet up as they always do, but this time something is different.


Beth paced the small room trying to block out the fears that persistently clouded her thoughts. She'd just ring her. She wouldn't mind, after all she was late. Beth grabbed up her bag taking her phone from it as she perched on the end of the bed. Ten past. It was only ten past and she was being ridiculous. She tapped her fingers on the covers breathing deeply, trying to resist. It didn't take long before she was typing in those familiar digits. Ali was never late. Just as that final justification urged her to press the call button the door swung open and Beth dropped her phone bag into the bag.

"Ugh. Well today couldn't of gone worse." Alison stated as she strode into the room kicking her shoes of and dropping her bag at the door. "I told you about that bake sale at the kid's school that I'd organised right, well not a single parent brought anything to sell. Not a single one! How is that even possible?"

"Even Aynsley, Aynsley who'd promised a three tier cake as well as cupcakes, just to show off of clearly. But even she didn't bring anything some big problem with Chad, he's probably been shagging the dog walker or something."

Beth blinked slowly watching Alison pace back and forth as she continued her tirade. She tried to control a smile but her lips couldn't help but twitch as she watched Alison slowly turning redder and redder.

"And Donnie! Donnie's useless as always, he kicked up such a fuss about looking after the kids tonight I didn't think I was going to make it. All because he wanted to play golf! Who the hell plays golf at this time of night anyway? He was being bloody ridiculous and I told him as much."

"Anyway Eff him!" She threw her hands up in the air before coming to a stop. "Sorry about all this, I just needed to let it out, you know." She said finally acknowledging Beth as she stood in front of her, hands on hips with her chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to catch her breath. "It's just like I have no control over anything anymore. It's all falling apart!"

Beth surged forwards grabbing Alison's face in her hands as she kissed her. It was rash and she could barely believe she was doing it but she wanted this and she wasn't about to let fear get in the way. She had been afraid of so much lately. Relief washed over her as Alison slowly began to respond, Beth pushed against her with increased urgency.

"No." Alison gasped pushing Beth away. "no we can't… we can't do this" but her complaints were quickly swallowed as Beth kissed her again wrapping her arms around her waist bringing her in.

"You want this I can feel it." Beth breathed. This time it was Alison who silenced her, returning the kiss and as Beth felt Alison's hands in her hair she knew she wasn't about to pull away again and tugged impatiently at the other woman's top. Alison pulled away just long enough for Beth to get it over her head before kissing her again pushing them both back towards the bed.

Beth yanked her own top off before reaching one hand behind to her bag. She searched through it finding it hard to concentrate as Alison's kisses became more fervent spreading down her neck and along her collar bone. Finally Beth found what she was looking for and pressed the cool metal into Alison's hand.

"Oh" Alison pulled away, her eyes widening as she looked down at the handcuffs and back up at Beth. Alison's expression was almost comical but lust filled Beth's eyes as she spoke.

"You wanted control, control me."

Alison pushed Beth back on to the bed as their lips met again. Alison fumbled with the button on Beth's trousers and allowed her to kick away the offending item and wriggle further up the bed before she joined her. Straddling her she kept one hand entwined in her hair as she ran another hand up her abs coming to rest on Beth's breast she squeezed it lightly. She broke away suddenly apprehension entering her eyes as she looked at where the handcuffs lay on the bed. "I… I don't know what I'm doing". She confessed picking up the cuffs and turning them over in her hands examining them in an effort to avoid looking at Beth. Beth raised herself up into a sitting position, still under Alison she lifted her chin gently so she could look at her. "You don't have to use the cuffs if you don't want to. Just do whatever feels natural." She kissed her gently smiling as she felt Alison bring a hand up to her face stroking it gently. "You know what I want" she had meant to reassure her further but Alison's expression changed suddenly and tears glistened in her eyes as she quickly climbed of the bed striding to the opposite end of the room.

"Oh god". She turned back to face Beth looking her up and down. "Oh god, oh god, oh god, this is horrible." Beth sat motionless on the bed unable to see what she had done that would make Alison react like this.

"You know what I want?" Alison parroted back a note of hysteria in her voice. "You know what I want? Yeh because we're the same bloody person!" Tears streamed down her face. Beth shook her head furiously but Ali continued. "We're the same person you and me. I'm you and you're me."

"No" Beth muttered still shaking her head as tears gleamed in her own eyes. "We're not."

"Just look at us!" Alison yelled "We look exactly the same. We are the same person." There was a sudden realisation in her eyes as bought her hand to her face shaking her head in shame. Her voice was calm and clear in stark contrast to the hysteria of a moment ago. "It's masturbation."

"No!" Beth's voice was loud now forceful. She got of the bed, walking towards Alison but before she'd got even halfway across the room Alison was backing away, staring at the carpet and shaking her head. "Don't you ever say that! We are not the same. We are completely different people." She tried to catch Alison's eye but she remained closed off staring at the floor.

She took another slow step forward. "You're unique and you are beautiful and…". Alison let out a strangled laugh. It physically pained Beth to hear but she carried on regardless. "I mean it. You are absolutely beautiful."

Alison muttered something but Beth simply spoke louder. "The freckles on your shoulders, are beautiful. They're unique. I don't have freckles on my shoulders, must have been all those exotic holidays you're parents took you on right."

Alison didn't raise her head but Beth could tell she was listening. She took another tentative step forwards. "That scar on your hip: Beautiful." She placed a hand over it gently. Alison twitched slightly under her touch but didn't move away. She reached up brushing the hair out of Alison's eyes "your beautiful bangs, and this beautiful little scar" she said as she swept her thumb over the mark she had just discovered on Alison's forehead. Alison finally met her gaze and the corners of her mouth twitched ever so slightly as she tried to supress a smile.

"That's really not beau…"

"Beautiful." Beth repeated with such certainty Alison couldn't argue.

"Beautiful." Beth murmured kissing the scar. "Beautiful" she kissed the freckles on Alison's shoulders. "Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful." She lowered herself down on to her knees kissing the scar on her hip. A grin spread across her face as she looked up to see Alison smiling above her.

"And those abs! My God, I think we can both agree mine are no way near as god as yours. Beth held on to Alison's waist as she kissed her stomach all over. Ali squirmed under the kisses giggling.

"Stop it" she said but continued giggling as she too got down on her knees. She pulled Beth's face up to hers kissing her gently. Beth placed her hand in Alison's hair and stroked the skin behind her ear.

"…and no scar here." Alison bought her hand up running her fingers over the same spot finding the raised skin of Beth's scar. Beth pushed Alison's hair behind her ear kissing the place she had uncovered. Alison sighed deeply letting go of the last of her resistance. Feeling a lightness she hadn't felt in years.

"You are incredible" Alison stated.

"And you are stunningly beautiful" Beth responded.

The two women spent the night exploring each other's bodies kissing every tiny difference they found and everything in between as they swapped the stories that led to those differences. The story of Alison's misguided butterfly tattoo the removal of which had led to the scar on her hip. The mountain biking accident that led to Beth's scar. The stories of many summer vacations that had freckled Alison's body. The stories of marathons that created Beth's strong thighs which Alison now relished being wrapped around her. They talked and giggled long into the night discovering not only their physical differences but learning about the things that made them who they were; completely different people.


End file.
